Outdoor sportsmen have a need for determining the ambient temperature whether it is the ambient air or ambient water temperature. The temperature is important for two reasons. Firstly, the temperature should be known to assure adequate protective measures are taken against any cold weather. Secondly, hunters and fisherman need to known the temperature because temperature and the relative change of temperature affects the behavior of the animals or fish. A good sportsman takes animal behaviour into account during a sporting event such as hunting or fishing.
Commercially available thermometers have certain limitations and risks. Thermometers containing mercury pose a known environmental hazard due to the mercury content and the risk of spillage of the mercury into the outdoor environment. While alcohol based thermometers do not pose the same severity of environmental risk, the alcohol still needs to be encased in a glass tube. The glass tube is prone for breakage and in order to reduce the probability of breakage, the glass tube is housed in a metal housing with a viewing window. The metal housing has a loop for attachment to a chain, string or lanyard. In addition, the thermometer may have a clip for storage to a shirt or pants pocket.
For accurate reading of the ambient surrounding, the thermometer must then be removed from the pocket and a certain amount of time must elapse before an accurate reading is obtained. If the thermometer is hanging from the lanyard into the water, the lanyard must be pulled to retrieve the thermometer and then handled for reading. Furthermore, the thermometer can get separated from the lanyard and a person can easily lose it.
Liquid crystal digital thermometers have been known to be used in fishing environments. A separate plastic coated card with every 5° C. can be held beneath the water surface and retrieved and handled for reading. Furthermore, this type of thermometer can also be separated and lost just like regular analog thermometers. These scenarios make the presently known thermometers to be relatively inconvenient, cumbersome and subject to being is placed.
Electronic digital thermometers have seen much commercial acceptance in other fields but they have two main disadvantages for outdoor sportsmen. Firstly, they are relatively expensive and secondly they require a power source which must be sealed from the elements. The power source may be depleted during use without any way to replenish the power when in field use, i.e., in a remote forest or remote mountain.
What is needed is a convenient non-powered thermometer that is readily available for an accurate reading of the ambient surrounding by secure attachment to an outer sports garment. What is needed is a flexible liquid crystal thermometer that flexes with the outer garment and is adhered to a convenient location on the outer garment. What is also needed is a thermometer for use in rugged outdoor conditions safe for both the wearer and the environment.